The kākāriki karaka, or orange-fronted parakeet, lives only in New Zealand. This parrot once lived in forests all over New Zealand, but it is now considered the rarest mainland forest bird in the country. Only 450 wild kākāriki karaka birds remain.
The kākāriki karaka became endangered because introduced predators hunted them to near-extinction. Stoats (a species of weasel) and cats hunt adult kākāriki karaka. Rats eat the parrot eggs and chicks.
A new population of 34 kākāriki karaka was released on the predator-free Pukenui, or Anchor Island, in the Fiordland National Park. Fiordland National Park is on the South Island of New Zealand.
All the released parrots have been given colored bands for identification. Nine female birds have radio transmitters, so rangers can track them and monitor breeding.
New Zealand conservation authorities think that the new kākāriki karaka population will be safe. Their island is predator-free because all of the stoats, rats, cats, and other introduced predators were removed. Traps and monitoring devices are in place to check for new predators.
David Brown adapted this story for Mongabay Kids. It is based on an article by Kristine Sabillo, published on Mongabay News.
